Winter Feeding Area

[mdt192]

Due to the wet and relatively mild winter (so far), I have left a group of my cows on a hay (fescue/native) pasture I let them get the last harvest on in mid-October. I pulled them off yesterday to bring them home to calf before they go to spring pasture.

This helped with hay needs greatly. Seemed like the grass never totally stopped growing; however, the upper area of my hay field is now a mess. It's about a 5 acre area that is pretty muddy and rutted up now.

How do I go about fixing this and the rut from my trail going through it? It will have to have some ground work done for sure. Current idea is to hit the bad rut spots with the dozer and come behind that with the disk to smooth it out and spread some of the hay / manure. Should I look at seeding an annual at the same time? Or, will the grass start back up? I hope it to be dry enough to have the ground work done by mid / late March.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Lots of weed seeds will be close to the surface. I think you're on track. Throw a fast growing annual out. Will thicken up the thinned stand that does survive the winter.

I'm in the same exact boat. It's very much so destroyed. Luckily it's pasture not hay ground.

 

[sstterry]

Same here. I am going to sow rye grass on my bad spots. I am tired of trying every year to try to replant those areas in fescue and clover. I will try to knock out the ruts with a grader blade and then sew some rye and hit is with a drag.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Ryegrass is the cheapest seed I've seen. 45 per 50 pound at rural king. For gulf ryegrass. I plan yo do the same on the bad spots. Where do you buy at ssterry

 

[ClodHopper37869]

I'm in the same boat, 3-4 acres of MUD feeding area. Never tried annual ryegrass before, Any tips, any verities work best on east TN hilltops, or just buy the cheapest...

 

[VaCowman]

I have a sacrifice area that I use to feed during the muddy periods (back side of the farm). The rest of the time I unroll on the hills. (no shortage of those here) I like to use annual ryegrass and crabgrass. It seems like the crabgrass can take the most abuse and will give plenty of adequate grazing during summer months following a heavy feeding season like we've had the last couple of winters. Yes, it goes dormant in the winter months, but that's when it's going to get abused anyway. if there is anything out there that will survive that type of abuse and come back, it's crabgrass. Yes, I have to replant the ryegrass each spring, but it's a pretty cheap expense for some quick grass to stabilize the area. It's not for everyone, but it sure works for us. No need for heavy fertilization on the CG because there is plenty of nutrients from the hay feeding during winter months. Stuff grows like crazy and stays dark green all summer long. Gains are pretty impressive too...almost wish the sacrifice paddock was a little bigger some days...

 

[pricefarm]

I have a sacrifice area that I use to feed during the muddy periods (back side of the farm). The rest of the time I unroll on the hills. (no shortage of those here) I like to use annual ryegrass and crabgrass. It seems like the crabgrass can take the most abuse and will give plenty of adequate grazing during summer months following a heavy feeding season like we've had the last couple of winters. Yes, it goes dormant in the winter months, but that's when it's going to get abused anyway. if there is anything out there that will survive that type of abuse and come back, it's crabgrass. Yes, I have to replant the ryegrass each spring, but it's a pretty cheap expense for some quick grass to stabilize the area. It's not for everyone, but it sure works for us. No need for heavy fertilization on the CG because there is plenty of nutrients from the hay feeding during winter months. Stuff grows like crazy and stays dark green all summer long. Gains are pretty impressive too...almost wish the sacrifice paddock was a little bigger some days...

How many pounds of each do you plant? Do u just run the disc over it to smooth it down ?

 

[VaCowman]

I put about 5# of crabgrass first year and about 10# of annual ryegrass. repeat ryegrass annually, but the crabgrass seems to come back as thick or thicker the next year, eliminating the need for seed. I run a disc over area to smooth it down first, then sow seed and forget about it. I don't have a cultipacker, but if I did, I think it'd be worthwhile if conditions were favorable.

 

[VaCowman]

Per acre that is...could probably bump the CG up a bit the first year, but the 5# worked good enough for me. Let it go to seed once before fall and you'll have plenty of seed for years to come.

 

[Stocker Steve]

We rotate wintering areas to spread out the fertility. Recovery depends on type of sod and amount of grade and amount of moisture. Some paddocks come back to a good pasture blend w/o any inputs. Others get tilled to go into grain or annual forages for two years before getting seeded back to perennial sod.
You can really drive future forage productivity after two years of diverse annual blends. Biological magic. Whether this pays vs. greening it up with something simple depends on your situation. What I find is something simple here (native cool season grasses) do not have a long enough grazing season to be economical for all of my operation.